


Hiding

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Innocence, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:42:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23047981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: Arthur is in for a little surprise
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/OC
Comments: 4
Kudos: 90
Collections: Camelot Drabble — Prompt #401:Hickey





	Hiding

For Arthur, Merlin was a pure little virgin. Even though he gave cheeky replies, he was actually rather shy and would never engage in physical encounters just for the fun of it. Everything had to have a meaning for Merlin and Arthur doubted that Merlin had ever bedded a woman.

Aside from Merlin being tall and having great hair and wonderful eyes and a smile that...oh, Arthur could sit and dream about Merlin's smile for hours...there was something about him that drew Arthur in. It was probably that innocence and Arthur wanted to preserve it forever and destroy it right away at the same time.

There was one thing that Arthur found utterly weird, though. The laziness with which Merlin dressed - and he had tried to change that many times, but Merlin always went back to his old shirts - and the neatness with which he tied this old neckerchief. There wasn't a day where it was even remotely out of place. In winter, Arthur fully understood. The castle was draughty and the old walls could be quite cold. But why was Merlin so adamant about wearing it when the summer sun burned down on them and sweat was trickling off his temples?

Arthur settled in for watching from afar. He was the prince of the realm and even though he could have ordered Merlin into bed, what kind of example would he set? And he couldn't risk that Merlin would leave and hate him forever.

It didn't take long and Arthur noticed that Merlin was out of breath a bit more when he entered his chambers or his cheeks were red and he was plucking at his neckerchief when he appeared. Was this old rag some means of calming him down? Like...moral support or something? He had seen knights dragging about the most ridiculous things on patrol, so maybe it was the same for Merlin? He had worn it when he came to Camelot, so maybe it was his connection to his village?

Arthur entered the stables to look after his horse. He had people who did that for him, but this stallion was precious to him and he had obtained a little cut while they were dashing through the woods. He needed to make sure that his steed was alright.

"Oh, yes...yes, right there..."

Stopping in his tracks, Arthur frowned. It wasn't unusual that people used the stables for...encounters. But the stalls right next to the royal horses? What confused him even more...was that Merlin's voice?

He heard a low moan that shot through his body.

"You can make me...without...just...yes! Right there!"

That was definitely Merlin and Arthur couldn't help but blushing at the images that immediately came up in his head. He should leave, he shouldn't stay, this was too much.

When he heard Merlin moan loudly, Arthur fled the stables. He needed to find out who Merlin's friend was. To punish them. Merlin was his. His manservant, he corrected himself. Nothing more, nothing less. And yet, the prince's manservant shouldn't fool around with anyone in the stables. Whatever his servants did reflected on him, so he had to put an end to it.

Arthur hung about nearby, hoping that nobody would ask him what he was doing, hiding behind some bushes. First, Merlin left the stables, adjusting his neckerchief and running his hand through his hair. So that was the reason for this thing. It was hiding bite marks and hickeys! Since Merlin had worn it when he first came to the castle...that meant...he was hiding them the entire time! Arthur's world went a bit lopsided when he realized that his innocent and pure manservant wasn't half as innocent as he had thought he was.

He almost missed the other person leaving the stables a moment later. Instead of one of the maids or a girl from the lower town, it was one of the squires. A tall lad with a bit of a scruff on his face.

Arthur stumbled back against a wall. So Merlin wasn't only hiding the marks of his encounters....he also had them with men! That opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

Making his way back to his chambers, Arthur didn't know how yet, but he would soon be the only one whose hickeys Merlin was hiding!


End file.
